I've just listened to the excellent S@N Magazine podcast (search for "Radio Astronomy" to find it) from Jodwell Bank. I've never been to the Blue Dot Festival but I've been to Jodwell Bank, brilliant day out!

The podcast has an interesting lesson on Cold War era space exploration with Dr Rachael Platonov, a splendid Astrophysics lesson from Prof Philippa Browning and Prof Monica Grady explaining the Drake equation.

Nice to hear Monica Grady saying that we're probably alone in the universe, not a generally popular view but probable if you've read Jim Al-Khalili's Aliens!

Graeme1858 wrote:I've just listened to the excellent S@N Magazine podcast (search for "Radio Astronomy" to find it) from Jodwell Bank. I've never been to the Blue Dot Festival but I've been to Jodwell Bank, brilliant day out!

The podcast has an interesting lesson on Cold War era space exploration with Dr Rachael Platonov, a splendid Astrophysics lesson from Prof Philippa Browning and Prof Monica Grady explaining the Drake equation.

Nice to hear Monica Grady saying that we're probably alone in the universe, not a generally popular view but probable if you've read Jim Al-Khalili's Aliens!

I can recommend the Blue Dot festival - we've been to all three now, and have just booked for 2019.

The reason we go is primarily the science content - fascinating to hear some of the very best people talking about their work - some are already known off the TV, but the less well known ones are often more interesting - possibly because they are covering topics that often don't get covered in the general media.

The music is less of a draw, but there have usually been definite musical highlights, Public Service Broadcasting have been there a couple of years, Jean Michel Jarre was brilliant in the first year, and The Flaming Lips were outstanding this year. And having great music played with the Lovell Telescope in the background is a bit special.

There are plenty of other attractions: comedy, art, philosophy, spectacle, etc. The facilities, food and drink are sourced with care - and they aim for a low environmental impact - as far as you can when you attract 10,000 to the countryside for the weekend.

I've not listened to their podcast yet, but I'll get it now. Thanks for the heads-up.

You sound like a die hard Blue Dot fan! It certainly does look like a great event. Tim O'Brian gets quite excited on Twitter about all the different stuff going on and posts up pictures. The Chemical Brothers gig looked like a lot of good lighting effects.